This old temple on the riverbank was built in the late-Ayutthaya Period, and was called Wat Maha But after the monk who initiated its construction. Locals, however, often called it Wat Mae Nak Phra Khanong, after the spirit house of Mae Nak, a legendary spirit who has been much revered for more than a century. Her spirit house is filled with flower garlands from worshippers.

Mae Nak’s haunting stories took place by Phra Khanong Canal. Legend had it that by the canal near Wat Maha But, Mae Nak and her husband, Thit Mak, Made their home in a tiny hut. During the war, Thit Mak was drafted. Mae Nak was home alone when she was in labor and died in childbirth. Because of her husband, she did not want to leave and waited for his return. Once her husband knew that she was just a ghost, he fled to the temple.

Mae Nak was furious and began terrorizing people.
The whole community was terrified. The reverent Somdet Phra Phutthachan(To Phromrangsi) heard of Mae Nak’s rampage. He came to the village and defeated her. He cut a piece of her forehead bone to make a buckle, and wore it at all time. Mae Nak was thus appeased.

A Boat Cruise along Khlong Prawet Burirom
In Khlong Prawet, long-tailed passenger boats rin regularly between phra Khanong Pier to lam Sombat Market under Si Nakharin Bridge (not far from Wat Khachon Siri). The service runs all day long.

We begin from Phra Khanong Pier along the canal to the connecting Khlong Prawet. The first leg of the canal is very crooked because Phra Khanong Canal is a natural waterway, not a man-made one like Khlong Phrawet which was cut in the Fifth Reign.Along the cruise are numerous temple and mosques. The Muslims,the biggest ethnic group in this area,have migrated from Pattani since the Third Reign. The cruise ends at Wat Krathum Sueapla, which houses the wax image of renowned monks. We can stop to pay homage to the images before cruising back